Using Stories from Gecko Press
Gecko Press aims to encourage children to love to read. We champion the appreciation of rich language, illustration and storytelling.
We offer books excellent in story, illustration and design, by some of the world’s best illustrators and writers.
We choose books by authors and illustrators who are international award-winners, have an established body of work, and whose books are proven in countries other than their own. We also choose books based on the ‘heart factor’: books that move us to laughter or tears (or both), books that will stand multiple readings, pivotal books that will last a lifetime.
We are developing online support materials to support teachers and librarians in using and enjoying the books to the full, and in teaching the New Curriculum.
The books provide a way into topic work in upper-primary or early secondary school; or they can simply be part of fun, shared reading sessions at all levels.
We do not offer specific guidance as to the appropriate age range for each title as we believe that picture books are not only for the very young. However, the appeal of a book like Who’s Hiding? is clearly very strong to a younger primary audience, while the themes in All the Dear Little Animals and Duck, Death and the Tulip may have more to say to older primary children. Some books, such as Can You Whistle, Johanna?, Snake and Lizard and Pancakes for Findus offer children an excellent transition between typical picture books and their first ‘chapter’ books.
We have tried out some of the books very successfully with a few schools where enthusiastic teachers have used them in different ways – taking an individual title as the basis for a quick, single ‘filler’ lesson, as part of a week’s work, or as a springboard for writing, drama, art and dance.
As our list of books grows, we hope you will be able to develop ways of working with themes across several titles (or countries) and we will support you in exploring the rich cross-cultural opportunities afforded by our books. We are sure too that our readers will adapt the materials for their own purposes and we would like to hear from you with your experiences and ideas.
Enjoy the stories and please let us have your feedback!
Publisher Julia Marshall
- Gecko Press is an independent Wellington-based publisher specialising in award-winning books from around the world.
- Snake and Lizard by Joy Cowley, illustrated by Gavin Bishop, won the NZ Post Book of the Year Award in 2008, and was one of 250 books internationally to be awarded a White Raven by the International Youth Library in 2008.
- Gecko Press was joint winner (with Random House) of the Thorpe-Bowker Publisher of the Year Award 2008.